


be better

by madsmurf



Series: Peanut Butter Jam [2]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon Compliant, Conversations, Gen, Inspired by Music, POV Peter Parker, Peter Parker Has a Family, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Precious Peter Parker, Protective Ben Parker, Protective Peter Parker
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-09 05:28:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,019
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12269835
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madsmurf/pseuds/madsmurf
Summary: Ben has a conversation with Tony Stark, and Peter really wants to go home.





	be better

**Author's Note:**

> The challenge was to be inspired by music. I picked New Rules by Dua Lipa.
> 
> References to the trauma that Peter went through during Homecoming. An Easter egg to Assassin Spider-Man. A tinny implied reference but blink and you’ll miss it to Skip Westcott. 
> 
> Set in the same verse as ‘it was so cold’
> 
> Thank-you KaelsMisceallany for the beta.
> 
> If I’ve missed a tag let me know in the comments.

Peter doesn’t know how his life ended up like this.

He wants to shrivel up and disappear. Why couldn’t his dreams actually be real?

( _the taste of dirt, blood and concrete is heavy on his tongue and he takes it back_ ).

Mr. Stark is seemingly unaffected about being stared down by a seasoned soldier. 

Though, Peter muses, it’s probably true; he had been friends with The Captain America and there was Colonel Rhodes. Who was like Mr. Stark’s husband or best friend; Peter couldn’t quite tell these days. He wants desperately for this stare down to cease and for everyone to go home. He just wants to go home.

Peter wants to know why the universe hates him so much. Like what did he do? Was he an assassin in a past life or what? Sucking in a breath he shrinks, hunching his shoulders as Mr. Stark smirks—honestly smirks and Peter doesn’t know how to tell Mr. Stark how bad that is. You didn’t smirk at Ben Parker. It isn’t wise, like at all. It is like Mr. Stark is playing with fire and in that moment Peter pities him.

That is until Mr. Stark insults Uncle Ben.

Then Peter’s vision blurs and he is stepping in the middle and shoving Mr. Stark.

“What the heck Mr. Stark!”

Mr. Stark looks stunned as he regains his balance. “What the heck indeed Kid. Step aside the grown ups are talking.”

“Oh you condescend—”

Peter cuts Ben off before he can start swearing up a storm.

“Y-you don’t get to, to belittle...” Peter clenches his fists over and over, struggling to find the words and to try and stop the stuttering. “You don’t get to belittle Ben’s work. He’s the best there is. He’s the-the best. He’s better. Better than you could—” 

Peter sucks in a breath through his teeth and struggles to keep it in long enough to stop the threat of tears building in the back of his throat. It burns. 

Mr. Stark looks furious. Not that that isn’t a change. He always looks annoyed or angry when he was in Peter’s line of sight. If Peter could he’d figure out why Mr. Stark appears to hate him so much. No such luck. Peter hates him a tiny bit for that. He just wants Mr. Stark to be proud of him, or impressed; he’d take what he could get.

“Kid.” Mr. Stark looks like he’s two seconds away from sending an arc reactor blast to Peter’s chest.

It sends chills down Peter’s spine; straightening up he squares his shoulders; with a start he realises that he’s taller than Mr. Stark. It makes his heart skip a beat. Ben’s hand lands on his shoulder, squeezing gently, and a rush of courage soars through his body. He plants his feet firmly on the ground. Mr. Stark’s eyes widen by a fraction; Peter knows he would have missed it if he hadn’t been staring.

“Kid,” Mr. Stark repeats, and this time it sounds less like a threat. “Clearly Mr Macho,” Peter frowns deeply at that nickname, Mr. Stark carries on like he hadn’t noticed. “...means something to you and I have to respect that. What I won’t accept is the both of them barrelling in here every time you do something stupid, accusing me of child endangerment or whatever.” He waves his hand dismissively, like a Peter’s life in danger means so little— _his legs are numb, and dust is coating his lungs, he can’t move, he’s stuck and he can’t move_ —before pointing a finger at Peter’s chest.

“And you. You don’t get to shove me. I don’t give a shit how angry you are.” 

Peter doesn’t flinch, he doesn’t. 

Guilt makes his gut squirm, and the tears are threatening to spill but he won’t cry, he won’t. 

Ben’s hand squeezes his shoulder again, rubbing small circles into the surprisingly tense muscle. Sneaking a glance at Ben, Peter shivers at the look of pure fury on his face. 

“I’m—” 

“You.” Ben's voice is flat and quiet. Mr. Stark flinches. Peter doesn't blame him. He's never heard Ben sound so terrifying. 

No, that’s a lie. He had heard it once before. Peter’s mind shies away from that moment, knowing it would lead to a dark spiral. 

“You don’t get to talk to my _son_ like that. Am I clear?” 

Mr. Stark doesn’t answer for a whole minute. Peter counts every second, and he thinks that’s the longest he’s been in Mr. Stark’s presence where he wasn’t talking. 

“Do—” Mr. Stark starts, looking furious. 

Ben holds his hand up, dismissive and continues; his voice calm, dripping with quiet danger. 

“You have a grievance, Mr. Stark, you take that up with my wife or I. Like an adult. You do not take it out on Peter. Don’t you dare.” 

It’s five minutes—every second Peter bounces his leg nervously and tries desperately to not wring his hands together; he bites his thumb instead—before Mr. Stark speaks. 

“Okay.” 

Ben nods once, before gently moving Peter to his side. Peter doesn’t remember the walk from Mr. Stark’s office to Ben’s rental car; he just feels numb. 

They’re halfway home before he speaks, his voice cracks and trembles. “He hates me.” 

Ben is focused on the road so Peter doesn’t expect an answer. 

“I don’t think he does Petey. I just think he doesn’t know how to treat people properly.” 

Peter sinks into his seat. “I just want to make him proud. It’s stupid. I know he ignores me 98% of the time but...” 

Ben’s spare hand squeezes Peter’s knee. “It’s okay Petey. I don’t approve of the way he treats you but I get it. He’s your hero.” 

They fall into a comfortable silence as Peter roughly rubs the tears away. 

Peter nearly sprints out of the car when they pull up to the apartment building, Ben pulls him into a hug before he can make the first step. “If he talks to you like that again, you tell me Petey. You deserve better.” 

Peter doesn’t even try to stop the tears this time. 


End file.
